Crenshaw Sparks Second-Half Surge Over UCI

Fullerton, Calif. - Scott Cutley and Frank Robinson scored 18 points each and Marcus Crenshaw supplied a spark off the bench with 11 points Saturday night as Cal State Fullerton pulled away for a 75-60 Big West Conference victory over UC Irvine.

The win improved the Titans' overall record to 16-4, matching the best 20-game record in school history, and kept them in first place in the Big West at 6-2.

UC Irvine got 10 points apiece from Darren Fells, Chuma Awaji and Nic Campbell and a game-high 12 rebounds from Patrick Sanders but fell to 10-12 and 4-4. It was the Anteaters' second loss to the Titans in 8 days.

Fullerton remained unbeaten at home at 11-0 and ran its home-court winning streak to 15 games, second longest in school history.

The Titans used a flurry of 3-point baskets to take control of the game early in the second half and then secured the victory wih a series of steals and breakaway dunk shots. The Titans made 10 of 26 treys while UCI relied more on its inside game and made only 4 of 12 from the perimeter. UCI shot only .358 from the floor despite a big height advantage inside that did carry it to a 38-35 edge in rebounding.

Consecutive treys by Robinson, Cutley twice and Crenshaw fueled a 12-4 run that gave Fullerton a 57-46 lead with 14:15 to play.

Senior point guard Bobby Brown, who was held to a season-low 6 points, picked up his fourth foul with 10:13 to play and the Titans' offense stagnated after Awaji hit the ensuing free throws to make it 62-53.

But Crenshaw hit two jumpers -- one a 3-pointer -- and then made a steal and a no-look pass to trailer Robinson for a dunk that made it 69-54 with 6:44 remaining. Another dunk by Robinson made it 71-54 and Burns sealed the outcome with another dunk at 1:46 that made it 73-60.

UCI committed 17 turnovers while Fullerton made only 7, a season low.

Irvine dominated the opening minutes and jumped out to a 9-4 lead for its biggest advantage of the night. Fullerton used a 7-0 "run", all by Cutley, over 3:20 midway through the first half to go ahead 25-20 and it never trailed again. UCI caught up at 31-31 but the Titans outscored UCI 8-4 to take a 39-35 halftime lead.

Fullerton plays only one game next week, at UC Riverside, while UCI hosts Pacific and Cal State Northridge.